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Duluth, Minn. & Knoxville, Tenn. (13 June 2017) – Cirrus Aircraft announced today that Lufthansa Aviation Training, the flight training program operated by Lufthansa Airlines, selected the technologically-advanced SR20 for its primary training fleet. Lufthansa Aviation Training has ordered 25 aircraft to lead its ab-initio, MPL and other flight training programs in Goodyear, Arizona. The SR20 aircraft will be used to train pilots from many of the world's premier airlines, including Lufthansa Airlines, Swiss Air, Austrian Airlines, Eurowings, All Nippon Airways (ANA), KLM as well as the German Air Force. The partnership with Lufthansa Aviation Training marks another milestone where Cirrus Aircraft has been chosen by a premier global pilot training program to provide advanced, easy-to-fly modern aircraft to prepare students to fly tomorrow's commercial airliners.

"Cirrus Aircraft congratulates Lufthansa Aviation Training and is proud to be its partner in producing world-class airline pilots for years to come," said Todd Simmons, President, Customer Experience at Cirrus Aircraft. "Today's forward-thinking airlines and pilot training programs are realizing the immediate benefits of teaching and learning in the most effective equipment available uniquely from Cirrus. Those benefits are amplified in the airline pilot training environment as the Cirrus SR series solution offers competitive advantages of advanced navigation and safety systems similar to the systems these new pilots will use in the airlines' larger aircraft."

Designed to be the industry-leading training platform that's also easy to fly, the technologically-advanced Cirrus SR series boasts an impressive list of features and capabilities. The integrated Cirrus Perspective+™ by Garmin® flight deck includes two large flight displays, a Flight Management System (FMS) keypad controller, an Electronic Stability and Protection system, plus integrated engine indication and crew alerting/warning systems – all features found on today's advanced airliners.

The aircraft also comes equipped with a modernized Lycoming IO-390, 215HP power plant and features a durable all-composite structure with the signature Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®), making the SR series one of the safest and most versatile training airplanes available today.

Lufthansa Aviation Training joins a premier group of innovative flight training programs that operate Cirrus airplanes around the world, including Emirates Airline, the United States Air Force Academy, the Royal Saudi Air Force, Cassidian Aviation Training Services, Aerosim Flight Academy, Western Michigan University, Southern Utah University, St. Louis University Parks College and more.

"In the dynamic and competitive commercial airline industry, the most successful players are looking beyond the current pilot training paradigm," added Simmons. "Today Lufthansa reinforces its leadership position not by aiming for where the business is today, but by planning for where it will be years from now."

Delivery of the twenty-five (25) Cirrus aircraft to LAT will begin in October 2017 and is expected to be completed by February 2018.